Mariners' Colt Emerson continues to prove that he's awesome originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.It hasn't taken Colt Emerson long at all to look right at home in Major League Baseball.The Seattle Mariners had decided to keep the top-tier infield prospect off the Opening Day roster, and they gave him a bit more than a month at Triple-A Tacoma to tune up for his eventual MLB promotion.Since arriving, Emerson has been fantastic.He capped off the Mariners' win over the Mets on Tuesday night with this sweet catch in foul territory, just the latest example of Emerson making good things happen:Colt Emerson ends the game with an unbelievable catch!The @Mariners have won EIGHT straight! pic.twitter.com/b2DvYmPd8G— MLB (@MLB) June 3, 2026MORE: Outfielder retires from baseball to go play college footballAs the post notes, the Mariners have won eight games in a row. It certainly hasn't hurt to have Emerson up and contributing.Emerson has now played in 15 games for the Mariners. He's hitting .271 with a .352 on-base percentage, a .583 slugging and a .935 OPS.His work at the plate includes four doubles, a triple, three home runs and eight RBI.Emerson has struck out 15 times in 54 plate appearances compared to five walks, which will be one ratio to keep an eye on as his career goes forward. He has yet to attempt a stolen base.The Mariners know they can play Emerson at both shortstop and third base, and that gives them some flexibility to make the most out of their lineup on any given day.Emerson won't turn 21 until September, so he's got a potentially long and special big league career in front of him.So far, he's off to quite the strong start.More MLB news:Bo Bichette reveals his plans for his opt-out clauseBumpus Jones is trending for an 1892 accomplishmentThe last time a team was this bad at walking, it took 9 balls to earn a walkChase Burns makes Reds history that hasn't been done in 104 yearsGuardians pitcher trying to complete incredible comeback

What time is the NBA Finals tonight? TV schedule, channel to watch Spurs vs. Knicks Game 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The droughts are over. 12 years for the Spurs; 27 for the Knicks. In a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, these two will face off once again with a championship on the line. New York has raced through the postseason. After losing two games to the Hawks in the first round, the Knicks swept the 76ers and Cavaliers. As they enter Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Knicks have not lost a game of basketball since April 23. The Spurs have had an up and down slog through the postseason. The first round of the playoffs was simple for the Spurs, winning in five games. Next time out, it took six games to beat the Timberwolves. And, in the Conference Finals, the Spurs trailed three games to two. But they came back, forcing Game 7 at home and winning it on the road. The major key to the series lies in the Knicks' offensive production. Over their last 10 games, the Knicks have averaged 123.8 points per game. That leads all NBA teams in the playoffs, and the Spurs will need to have their defense at a premium to stop the Knicks. This is especially true in terms of blocks, where the Spurs averaged 5.5 per game in the regular season, and Victor Wembanyama led the league with 3.1 per game.Here's what you need to know about Wednesday's matchup between Spurs and Knicks, including broadcast information and start time.What time is the NBA Finals tonight?Date: Wednesday, June 3Time: 8:30 p.m. ET | 7:30 p.m. CTGame 1 of the NBA Playoffs series between Spurs and Knicks is set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. ET from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.What channel is Spurs vs. Knicks on today?TV channel: ABCLive streams: ESPN app, DIRECTV, fuboSpurs vs. Knicks Game 1 will be broadcast by ABC and will stream live on the ESPN app or via DIRECTV or fubo, which offer a free trial to new users. Catch every game – try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live MLB, March Madness, soccer and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network—all included with DIRECTV.Start your FREE trial now and never miss a moment of the action. No contracts, no hassle, just wall-to-wall sports and entertainment.Spurs vs. Knicks series scheduleDateGameTime (ET)WatchJune 3Game 1 at Spurs8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 5Game 2 at Spurs8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 8Game 3 at Knicks8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 10Game 4 at Knicks8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 13Game 5* at Spurs8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 16Game 6* at Knicks8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTVJune 19Game 7* at Spurs8:30 p.m.ABC, ESPN app, fubo, DIRECTV* If necessaryNBA Playoffs bracket 2026 SN NBA Playoffs schedule, key dates for 2026Here are the key dates to know for the NBA Playoffs and offseason. EventDatesNBA Finals beginJune 3NBA Finals Game 7 (if necessary)June 19NBA DraftJune 23-24NBA Summer League Las VegasJuly 9-19Related LinksLatest NBA news and rumorsFull 2025-26 NBA schedule and scoresHow to bet on the NBAThe GOAT Debate: Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James

Washington Commanders right tackle Josh Conerly says he is feeling increasingly more comfortable.Conerly played his rookie NFL season in 2025. The Commanders were expected to contend for the NFC East title against the Eagles; however, in 2025, they won only 5 games and finished 5-12. When teams don't meet expectations, some people will pay for it. As a result, head coach Dan Quinn was determined to hire two new coordinators: Daronte Jones (defense) and David Blough (offense)."I feel like, as a team, we are just learning," Conerly told reporters. "Learn the offenses, learn the defenses. I feel like everyone's starting to get comfortable with it now. Once we step on the field, we are flying around. Personally, for myself, I feel a lot more comfortable in my position. I feel like once I continue to stack days, I feel like I'm getting better and better."When asked what he thought about the movement in the NFC East on Monday, Conerly paused and then honestly asked, "What do you mean?" When told there had been some movement (the AJ Brown trade from the Eagles to the Patriots), Conerly replied, "I just worry about the team, but I feel like there was a lot of movement. I mean, some great teams got even better players, and they're going to be even better teams."Conerly is approaching his second NFL training camp and his second OTA session this offseason. "I feel like over the past few months, I am continuously getting comfortable in my stance, not necessarily rebuilding it, but just finding ways to make it as comfortable as possible.#Commanders rookie OT Josh Conerly Jr. showed some really encouraging development from his first preseason performance to his second, correcting mistakes from the first game quickly in the second. I broke down his performance against the Bengals: https://t.co/SEer0yW5Gvpic.twitter.com/nRLIG7p93z— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) August 21, 2025As for his second offensive coordinator in two seasons (Blough replacing Kliff Kingsbury), Conerly is glad that some similarities remain. "There's a lot of similar verbiage, so that helps. I feel like that's been the easiest part. It is a little bit longer of calls in a huddle, and actually huddling up is something I haven't done since, I don't know, maybe little league. Playing at Oregon, we were always fast tempo on the ball. And last year, we were obviously in that offense as well. So I do feel like it's been a lot easier to get clear communication."The 29th overall selection in the 2025 draft, Conerly seems more confident, more comfortable moving toward his second NFL season. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders RT Josh Conerly is feeling more comfortable

Two "Parks and Recreation" alums are teeing it up at 220 acres of Dublin "parkland" for some recreation. Hollywood stars Chris Pratt and Rob Lowe join a list of celebrities playing the Workday Golden Bear pro-am at Muirfield Village Golf Club June 3.The pro-am, which also features Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning, Steve Young and Larry Fitzgerald, as well as country music singer Luke Bryan, is an annual event at the Memorial. Pratt and Lowe are paired with Lowe's son, John, and playing with PGA Tour players Jordan Spieth and Aaron Rai. Manning is playing with former NFL wide receivers Brandon Stokley and Anthony Gonzalez, who played at Ohio State. Other big names joining in include Ohio State men's basketball coach Jake Diebler, former NFL tight end Dallas Clark and former NBA guard Andre Iguodala. Sports columnist Rob Oller can be reached at roller@dispatch.com and on X.com at @rollerCD. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Chris Pratt, Rob Lowe join Peyton Manning at Memorial Tournament event

PARIS — A Polish player in the women’s singles semifinals at Roland Garros is hardly unexpected these days. Unless that player’s name is Maja Chwalińska.Chwalińska, the world No. 114 whose name is pronounced “Hfa-LEEN-ska,” became the second qualifier to reach the French Open semifinals in the Open Era on Wednesday with a 7-6(3), 6-3 win over No. 22 seed Anna Kalinskaya.In her first appearance in the main draw at Roland Garros, she will face either world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka or No. 25 seed Diana Shnaider in the semifinals.The 24-year-old lacks both the Grand Slam experience and the physicality most of her competitors have, but it hasn’t made a difference. At just 5 foot 5 inches, Chwalińska deployed a crafty game that disoriented Kalinskaya on a cool, windy day in Paris. The Russian had no rhythm to work off of and Chwalińska sliced and drop-shotted her way to a 5-1 lead.Even when Kalinskaya came back to force a tiebreak, adjusting to her opponent’s variety and pulling Chwalińska into a baseline exchange that she was never going to win, the Pole reset and patiently put the match back on her terms.Her only Grand Slam victory before this French Open was at Wimbledon four years ago, after she’d returned to tennis from a hiatus to manage a period of depression. At this year’s tournament, Chwalińska found herself in the position of needing to afford a hotel for the second week, having not expected to get this far. Polish sports drink brand Oshee, which sponsors her friend and four-time Roland Garros champion Iga Świątek, stepped in.Chwalińska hasn’t dropped a set this tournament, knocking out Zheng Qinwen, who won Olympic gold at Roland Garros two years ago, No. 23 seed Elise Mertens, 2021 semifinalist Maria Sakkari and the Frenchwoman Diane Parry on Court Philippe-Chatrier.She looked undaunted against Kalinskaya on Wednesday, despite the Russian’s superior firepower. She won the first set tiebreak with her variety, chucking up moon balls and lobs and pressuring Kalinskaya’s serve with deft net play.Chwalińska maintained that pressure early in the second set and Kalinskaya, who looked frustrated and tight in her second career Grand Slam quarterfinal, made three errors in a row to give her an early break for a 2-1 lead. By the time it was 4-1, Kalinskaya was arguing with her coach and seemed distracted. She started spraying her groundstrokes wide and handed Chwalińska another break point in the seventh game.A forehand long then set up Chwalińska to serve for the match. And while she was broken, just as in the opening set, it was Kalinskaya’s tension in the following game which produced a double fault and a backhand smashed into the net to help Chwalińska to the biggest win of her life.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.Tennis, Women's Tennis2026 The Athletic Media Company

Texas A&M's 2026 offseason is once again flying under the radar after making the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history, and for coach Mike Elko, his third season at the helm will likely be his most challenging given the tough schedule the Aggies will take on in SEC play. Just hours after the Aggies fell to Miami in the first round of the CFP, Elko went to work, making several key changes to his staff after OC Collin Klein departed to become Kansas State's head coach, promoting WR coach Holmon Wiggins to the position, while defensive assistant Lyle Hemphill will now serve as the program's defensive coordinator.After a record ten players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Elko and his staff added 17 players from the transfer portal, and combined with the returning veterans, Texas A&M's 2026 roster is loaded with talent and experience, especially knowing that quarterback Marcel Reed is back under center for his third, and second full starting season.Since the start of the offseason, the Aggies have been ranked anywhere from 8th to 11th overall, and on Tuesday, The Athletic writer Stewart Mandel placed Elko's 2026 roster at No. 13 in his Top 25 preseason rankings, feeling that, like the rest of us, Marcel Reed taking the proverbial "next step" combined with the newly formed offensive line gelling with determine the season outlook."The NFL Draft showed how much talent A&M lost from its CFP team last season: Seven picks in the first three rounds, 10 overall. The Aggies return their most important player in Reed, but he needs to be more consistent, and he’ll need help from an O-line that lost four starters. Mike Elko signed four replacements with SEC starting experience."Texas A&M's defense, especially in the secondary, possesses elite depth and could be the strength of the team, while the offensive line's development, Marcel Reed's decision-making, and improvisation will dictate how well Holmon Wiggins' offense operates.Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M ranked No. 13 in The Athletic's preseason CFB rankings

Don't let the inexperience fool you; Denver Broncos running back Jonah Coleman is ready for the big time.Coleman, who grew up in Stockton, California, just over an hour outside of Santa Clara, where the San Francisco 49ers play, has had very little interaction with the NFL. Just a day after he was selected by the Broncos in the fourth round (108th overall) of the 2026 NFL draft in April, Coleman revealed that he had never even attended an NFL game."I'm not gonna go to an NFL game until I make it to the NFL," said Coleman during an appearance on NFL Network's Good Morning Football show.You can view Coleman's segment about his lack of professional football experience below. "I'm not gonna go to an NFL game until I make it to the NFL"@jonahcoleman8 on Week 1: @Broncos at Chiefs being his first ever NFL game attended 🥹 pic.twitter.com/6LOA0raiH4— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) May 20, 2026ps: i’ve never been to an nfl game 🤨— Jonah Coleman (@jonahcoleman8) April 26, 2026Coleman also spoke about what it was like to play for Broncos head coach Sean Payton. "It means a lot to me to be honest with you," Coleman told GMFB. "I grew up watching a lot of football, I seen Sean Payton coach, and being with (Washington Huskies coach) Jedd Fisch, he's been with Sean Payton before, and they share a lot of similarities and a lot of values with how they run their programs... I feel like it's definitely going to be an easy transition for me as far as on the field and off the field.".@jonahcoleman8 on his excitement about playing for HC Sean Payton 🙌@Broncos | #broncoscountrypic.twitter.com/5nMkGwZVVG— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) May 20, 2026You can view Coleman's full interview on GMFB below.Fans will get their first in-person look at Coleman in Denver's offense when the Broncos begin training camp later this summer. Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL: Jonah Coleman discusses first pro game, playing for Sean Payton

'WILDING,' 'New Meme' -- NBA World In Stitches Over Knicks HC Mike Brown's 'Who Let the Dogs Out' Chant At FinalsMike Brown is back in the NBA Finals as a head coach for the first time since 2007, and the New York Knicks’ sideline leader already appears to be making the most of the experience.During his Finals media availability on Tuesday, Brown reflected on his tenure as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, during which he also coached a first-grade flag football team. While doing so, the 56-year-old playfully re-enacted the squad’s “Who let the dogs out” chant, with the now-viral clip sending the NBA world into hysterics.Knicks’ Mike Brown Sparks Laughter and Confusion With ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ ChantBrown has thrived in his first season at the helm of New York, revamping the Jalen Brunson-led team’s offense with increased ball movement and transition play. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year has also maximized Karl-Anthony Towns’ effectiveness in the playoffs, utilizing the star big man as more of a playmaking hub.The Knicks won a franchise record 11 straight postseason games to secure their first Finals berth since 1999, with anticipation mounting for them to take on the Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs.While containing the 7-foot-4 French phenom and his upstart squad, which just dispatched the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, will be a daunting task, Brown appears relatively unfazed.Speaking to the media on Tuesday, a day ahead of New York’s Game 1 road clash in San Antonio, Brown was asked how much of his defensive philosophy was “formed” in the city. Brown was a Spurs assistant coach from 2000 to 2003, winning the 2003 title. However, the reporter made it clear that he was referencing Brown’s “dogs defense” from his time coaching a six-man first-grade flag football team.MORE:‘Pretty Unbelievable’ — Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns Break Down Victor Wembanyama’s Game Ahead of NBA FinalsThe question elicited excitement from Brown, who shared that the youngsters were “awesome” and “dominated that league.” The Knicks coach then proceeded to recount their Baha Men-inspired cheer.“After every game and before every game, we’d get our parents in with the kids, and our cheer would be, ‘Who let the dogs out? Who? Who? Who? Who let the dogs out? Who? Who? Who?'” Brown reminisced.While Brown provided ample context for the lighthearted moment, the clip was promptly cropped and circulated online, sparking comical reactions from the NBA community.“What is Mike Brown doing? 😭😭,” BrickCenter questioned.“Mike Brown is WILDING 😭😭,” Hater Report reacted.“Everyone in NY is nervous for the Finals. Mike Brown:,” one New York supporter captioned the video.“Mike Brown the funniest man alive, bro,” another declared.“Mike Brown, with context that I’m leaving out, just chanted from ‘Who let the dogs out.’ Welcome to the new meme,” The Associated Press’ Tim Reynolds quipped.“Mike Brown has Finals FEVER,” one Knicks fan account wrote.Given the Knicks’ historic Finals run, Brown has likely already cemented himself as an icon in New York. If the fun-loving coach can help the organization pull off a major upset over San Antonio and capture its first championship since 1973, he will only further carve out his place in Knicks lore.

JOSHUA DONALD #95Height: 6’2” Weight: 310lbPosition: DL Class: JuniorHometown: Durham, NCSummary: We’re not that deep into the countdown this year and you’ve already seen a significant number of “transfer tags” on the front of these cards. Brohm and staff saw what transpired over the last few years and made a conscience decision to spend a lot of time and money, presumably, on shoring up the trenches on both sides of the ball. Donald was a standout player for App State back in 2024, posting some big numbers on the line, especially for a guy who spent a lot of time on the interior. After a brief layover (2025) in Houston, Donald caught a flight to Louisville and started showing off what he could do early in the spring.Joshua is a big guy with a frame that can clog up an A-gap or two, and made a habit during camp of doing his best ‘Thanksgiving’ impression and stuffing the run game like a turducken in the Madden home in the late 90s. With Ziesmer being out an undisclosed length of time, Donald got more reps, more opportunities, and more shine than many expected to see. While getting guys back healthy and players making progress over the summer can alter things, I think we’re looking at a starting interior lineman right now in Donald, a real nice addition back in January, that looks even more important in June.You can see a few Donald highlights from the clip below if you’re interested in watching a 10min App State game highlight film from 2025, and lets be honest, on a Wednesday in June what else do you having going on that’s more important? Work? hahaha.

ATLANTA, GA - JULY 06: The Rawlings gold labeled glove of Atlanta Braves outfielder Adam Duvall (14) in the dugout during the Saturday evening MLB game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves on July 6, 2024 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesFormer Atlanta Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons built a reputation as one of the greatest defensive players of his generation, winning multiple Gold Glove Awards and routinely producing highlights that seemed impossible for other infielders to replicate.Yet, despite a career that likely places him among the best defensive shortstops in baseball history, Simmons stepped away from the major leagues earlier than many expected. Now, several years after his final MLB season, the former MVP Award candidate has made it clear that he remains comfortable with that decision.Speaking recently with The Athletic’s Sam Blum, Simmons reflected on his retirement and offered a concise four-word response when asked whether he had any second thoughts about abruptly ending his career with what appeared to be some prime seasons ahead.“I don’t regret it,” Simmons said. “I needed a mental break.”FORBES | By Peter ChawagaNationals’ Boss Offers 4-Word Response On Trading Superstar ShortstopFormer Atlanta Braves Superstar Speaks Out On Abruptly Ending His CareerThe comments provide rare insight into the mindset of a player who quietly exited Major League Baseball despite remaining one of the sport's most respected defenders. Simmons last appeared in the majors in 2022 before abruptly stepping away from the sport.“Facing injuries, Simmons, at age 32, disappeared from baseball in what should have been the later part of his prime,” Blum noted.Simmons’ defensive reputation had been established long before that point. When the Braves traded Simmons to the Los Angeles Angels following the 2015 season, he was established as one of the game's elite fielders.“Simmons is arguably the best defensive shortstop in baseball, offsetting his mediocre offensive skills,” ESPN News Services reported at the time. “He won the Gold Glove in 2013 and 2014, and was named the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year...”Simmons' career accomplishments extended well beyond those early awards. He finished his major league career with four Gold Gloves, a Platinum Glove Award earned in his rookie campaign with the Braves and more than 1,100 hits.FORBES | By Peter ChawagaDodgers’ Kyle Tucker Makes Change For First Time Since Leaving Cubs As Concerns MountFormer Atlanta Braves MVP Candidate Offers Response On Attempting MLB ComebackNow, Simmons is donning spikes once again as he embarks on a career in the Mexican Baseball League, though he was clear about the chances of his returning to the majors.“I’m happy with my career in the big leagues,” Simmons told Blum. “I’m not trying to get back.”While many former stars spend years contemplating whether they left the game too early, Simmons' comments suggest he has found peace with his decision. Rather than expressing frustration about opportunities missed, he emphasized the importance of stepping away when he felt it was necessary.That perspective may surprise some Braves fans who believed he still had productive baseball ahead of him at the time that he ended his big-league career. But for Simmons, who notably struggled with mental health during his career, the decision appears to have been about more than performance or longevity.This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The Detroit Lions are adding another experienced set eyes to the front office.The Lions hired former Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier as a personnel executive, ESPN reported. Grier was fired as Dolphins GM last October after more than two decades with the team. He began his scouting career with the New England Patriots in 1995 and joined the Dolphins five years later.In Miami, Grier served as director of college scouting before taking over as GM in 2016. The Dolphins made three playoff appearances during Grier's 10 seasons as general manager.Lions general manager Brad Holmes has surrounded himself with veteran personnel executives, though the Lions' front office has suffered some brain drain in recent years.Former Lions director of college scouting Dave Sears left to become Arizona Cardinals assistant general manager in 2023. Lance Newmark, the team's senior director of player personnel, left for the assistant GM job with the Washington Commanders in 2024. And Mike Martin, the Lions director of scouting advancement, took over as Notre Dame general manager last year.Grier is the second ex-NFL GM in the Lions' front office, along with senior personnel executive John Dorsey, the GM of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013-17 and Cleveland Browns in 2017-19.Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions hire ex-Miami Dolphins GM Chris Grier to front office

The Miami Dolphins made sweeping changes across their organization in the last year, including during the 2025 season, when owner Stephen Ross fired general manager Chris Grier.Now, just seven months after leaving Miami, Grier has found a new home, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the former Dolphins general manager is joining the Detroit Lions as a personnel executive.Grier, 56, is the son of former NFL coach and executive Bobby Grier, who passed away in 2025. The younger Grier entered the NFL as an intern with the New England Patriots and joined the Dolphins as a scout in 2000.Working his way up, Grier took over as general manager in 2016 and held the role for 10 seasons. During his tenure, Miami had five winning seasons and made the playoffs three times. However, he was often criticized for his draft selections.More Dolphins: Dolphins sign former first-round pick WR after first minicamp sessionThis article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Former Dolphins GM Chris Grier finds new home in NFC North

After Iowa women's basketball announced on Tuesday morning that it will clash with Vanderbilt this upcoming season on Sunday, Nov. 15, in Sioux City, Iowa, many fans expressed their excitement and anticipation on social media for the Hawkeyes' additional premier nonconference contest.The Hawkeyes finished last season with a 27-7 (15-3 Big Ten) record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, the Commodores finished with a 29-5 (13-3 SEC) record and advanced to the Sweet 16.The announcement of this clash against Vanderbilt now gives the Hawkeyes their second high-quality nonconference matchup reveal for next season after recently agreeing to a home-and-home series against national power UConn over the next two years.As fans respond to the news, here are some of the best social media reactions from Iowa women's basketball fans to the Vanderbilt scheduling announcement:Hey, Hawk Fans in western Iowa AND beyond the border!😉We sure hope we see you on November 15th when we take on Vanderbilt IN Sioux City! Let's Goooo, Hawks!!!!👊🏼 https://t.co/NiIf2YPYDE— Jan Jensen (@goiowa) June 2, 2026BREAKING NEWS🚨Iowa Women’s Basketball will face Vanderbilt at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City in November.Jan Jensen is building a phenomenal schedule. https://t.co/WYL0ktSOXp— Kyle Huesmann (@HuesmannKyle) June 2, 2026Oh Sweet Jesus, I've been asking for a game in SC! WooHoo. https://t.co/HS7NoS88rV— rkrager8 (@rkrager8) June 2, 2026Women’s basketball: Iowa vs. Vanderbilt.Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Tyson Center in Sioux City.— Jeff Linder (@jtlinder) June 2, 2026Jan Jensen and Co. aren't messing around. Fantastic move.NOTE: Iowa MBB will play Creighton in Des Moines on the same day. https://t.co/u9CdG4cJm7— Brad Schultz (@BradMSchultz) June 2, 2026Zero smoke ducking goin on!! https://t.co/an0vTj3tYk— Gary Thompson (@gthomp63) June 2, 2026This is a huge get for Sioux City, and it's been something the community has wanted for a while. The Tyson Events Center will host a DI basketball game! https://t.co/RkFZdk0hjb— Daniel Ver Steeg (@DanielVSPxP) June 2, 2026Jan making sure the girls are challenged early and often, not backing away from any competition. I love that and Journey Houston🤌🏽 https://t.co/r2FdobW5ZX— Morgsss✨ (@Morgsss21) June 2, 2026Love how the non-con schedule is shaping up! Going to be some great early opportunities! https://t.co/rxboYLIluk— S. (@karlybird23) June 2, 2026Iowa WBB acknowledging northwest Iowa fans exist. Dream come true. Let’s go Hawks! https://t.co/uTo4OHF9AM— Ethanol the Hawkeye Fan (@ethanprice) June 2, 2026From November 8 to November 15: Iowa will play preseason No. 1 UConn and a top-10 Vanderbilt team led by Mikayla Blakes, who is arguably the most dynamic scorer in the sport. Jan Jensen really looking to test her squad early. Really excited about it. Good for the sport— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) June 2, 2026Vanderbilt almost certainly wasn’t going to just come to Carver without a return game.This is a neutral site, single game. https://t.co/TkiQrDyUNf— Kyle Huesmann (@HuesmannKyle) June 2, 2026Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNewsThis article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women's basketball fans react to Vanderbilt scheduling news

Mets' Mark Vientos problem has multiple layers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.When Mark Vientos first arrived in the big leagues a few years ago, he seemed to have massive potential for the New York Mets.These days, he seems much more like a player with a bunch of flaws.There are numbers to be looked at, but first, one post on X has gone a bit viral for summing up Vientos' multi-faceted problems:The thing about Mark Vientos is he can’t field, and he’s the slowest player I’ve ever seen, but he also can’t hit.— I Like Numbers (@i_numbers82778) June 3, 2026MORE: Outfielder retires from baseball to go play college footballBesides that, Vientos does a lot of things well -- oh wait, that's everything.Vientos had a weird drop at first base during Tuesday night's loss to the Mariners, which didn't help improve his standing to Mets fans.He's also batting just .219 this season. Vientos has seven home runs but not a ton else, as his OPS is just .634.His strikeout rate of 42 punchouts in 187 at bats isn't even particularly bad for a supposed power hitter, but since Vientos isn't doing a lot of outrunning infield grounders for hits, it's not helping him all that much.Vientos had an .838 OPS in a strong 2024 season, but it was .702 last year and now .634 this year.He's 26 years old, still conceptually with time to figure things out and grow into a better contributor again, but also maybe not possessing the ideal skillset to become an all-around star that the Mets may have hoped for at one point in his development.More MLB news:Bo Bichette reveals his plans for his opt-out clauseBumpus Jones is trending for an 1892 accomplishmentThe last time a team was this bad at walking, it took 9 balls to earn a walkChase Burns makes Reds history that hasn't been done in 104 yearsGuardians pitcher trying to complete incredible comeback

The Jacksonville Jaguars' defense last season was the top run defense unit in football and finished the year ranked eighth in points per game allowed. However, heading into the 2026 season, there is one key area where this unit must improve: Getting after the quarterback.As a collective unit, the Jaguarsranked a modest 18th in pressure rate in 2025 and 27th in sacks.Generating more steady pressure and then turning those opportunities into sacks at a higher rate starts with the pass rush and coverage working in unison."I think part of that is just tightening it," said defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. "I talked about this a little bit in the offseason too -- tighten it up some of the stuff on the back end because the ball, like if you look at the ball out, the ball's coming out pretty quick. So that's a good thing, but we got to be able to tighten it up when the ball does come out to be able to make some more plays on the ball or force the quarterback to be able to hold that ball another tick longer. So I think that's part of its rush and coverage tied together."At defensive end, the Jaguars have one of the top duos in football in Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. However, there is a lot of inexperience on the depth chart behind them, which creates some uncertainties.Along the interior, the Jaguars' pass rush presence faded during the latter portion of the season. To provide a boost, the Jaguars acquired Ruke Orhorhoro this offseason.The search for increased production, however, does not only fall on the players, but it's on the coaching staff as well, specifically in how they utilize these defenders."I think the D-line guys, Derek LeBlanc, Matt Edwards, have done a great job this offseason," Campanile added. "We spent a ton of time on that, how to utilize our guys in the front a little bit better, play to their strengths, and we got some new things this year that I think are going to be pretty good for us."The name of the game is pressuring the quarterback, and if the Jaguars can take a step forward in that regard this season, that will greatly help this defense reach new heights in 2026.This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: How Jaguars are working to generate a greater pass rush in 2026

Pakistan will host Australia in the final match of the three-game ODI series at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday. The hosts won the first encounter to get their noses in front, but the Aussies pulled one back in the second, riding on a brilliant spell by Nathan Ellis as the pacer finished with 4/33 figures. Interim captain Josh Inglis and Cameron Green scored patient half-centuries to guide Australia to a par score of 231 in their 50 overs on a dusty track. CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR BET WITH DAFABETMatt Short (3-36), Matt Kuhnemann (1-41), Adam Zampa (1-30) and Tanveer Sangha (1-22) shared the rest of the six wickets with Ellis getting Maaz Sadaqat and the big fish, Babar Azam, early in the innings. Shadab Khan kept Pakistan in the match with a fighting 71-run innings of 104 balls, but as wickets kept falling at the other end, pressure grew on him. He was ultimately dismissed by Sangha, which brought the end of Pakistan's innings. Much has been spoken about the rank turners that have been belted out in the first two games, and it remains to be seen if Pakistan continue to favour the spin-first strategy in the decider. Add The Sporting News as a preferred news sourcePakistan vs. Australia 3rd ODI live stream, TV channelHere's how to watch the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia in India:TV channel: NALive stream: N/AThere is no TV broadcast or live stream facility of the Pakistan vs. Australia ODIs in India.MORE: Visit Cricket News for all the latest cricket coverage and opinionWhat time does Pakistan vs. Australia 1st ODI kick off?The first ODI between Pakistan and Australia will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan.It will kick off at 4:30 p.m. local time, which translates to 5:00 p.m. IST on Thursday, June 4, in India.MORE: Will India have an open bus parade after the 2026 T20 WC win?Pakistan vs. Australia squads, team newsThere have been a lot of questions over Shadab Khan's selection after his ordinary bowling performances, but coach Mike Hesson continues to back him. Hence, Pakistan should field an unchanged XI.Pakistan predicted playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat, Babar Azam, Ghazi Ghori(w), Arafat Minhas, Salman Agha, Abdul Samad, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi(c), Haris Rauf, Abrar AhmedAustralia benched Billy Stanlake and brought in Adam Zampa after he recovered from the neck spasms, and it is believed that the team management will back him if there is another spinning track offered in Lahore. Australia predicted XI: Matt Short, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis (c) (wk), Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne, Oliver Peake, Nathan Ellis, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa, Tanveer SanghaPakistan vs Australia ODI scheduleHere's the schedule for the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia:MatchDateVenueTime (IST)1st ODIMay 30Rawalpindi5:00 p.m.2nd ODIJun 2Lahore5:00 p.m.3rd ODIJun 4Lahore5:00 p.m.DafabetBEST ODDS AND OFFERSCLICK TO BET

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is officially the Madden 2027 cover athlete, EA Sports announced on Wednesday.The jump. The #Madden27 Cover. The future. Gridiron heroics earn @CALEBcsw Cover Athlete status! Full reveal Thursday, 6/4 at 8 PM ET🔗: https://t.co/REHXoqeZIfpic.twitter.com/VBzO40XbdF— Madden NFL 26 (@EAMaddenNFL) June 3, 2026More to come.Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and InstagramThis article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears QB Caleb Williams is the Madden 27 cover athlete

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was announced Tuesday as EA Sports’ cover athlete for Madden NFL 27.On the standard cover, Williams is depicted in a body position similar to his pivotal, scrambling, fourth-and-8 jump pass to Rome Odunze in a stirring comeback victory over Green Bay in a wild card playoff game on Jan. 10. With his arm cocked to throw and his feet spread, Williams appears to soar above a silhouette of the Chicago skyline that is set against a blue backdrop.The deluxe edition features a tight shot of Williams with arms crossed over his white game jersey, a dark, night-like background and snow falling around him.Being featured on the game's cover is “like my childhood dream was coming true,” Williams said. “I grew up playing Madden and imagining what it would be like to be part of the game." Williams and the 2025 Bears became synonymous with late-game theatrics last season, staging more than a handful of comeback victories to go with some dramatic comeback bids that came up just short — including their season-ending playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.In 17 regular-season games, Williams passed for a franchise-record 3,942 yards with 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his second season since being drafted first overall out of Southern California.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Sussex boss Paul Farbrace says the next 10 days will be "really tough" for everyone at the club [Shutterstock]Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace says he is "finding it hard" to deal with the off-field issues at the club.Farbrace confirmed in April that he would be leaving at the end of the season amid Sussex's ongoing financial problems after they posted losses of £1.3m in 2025.The Division One club were given a 12-point deduction in the County Championship for "sustained operating losses" and were docked a point in both the T20 Blast and One-Day Cup.The ECB also imposed tighter financial controls on Sussex including a salary cap until 2028, making it more difficult to retain players. As of 1 June, rival counties are officially allowed to approach players who are out of contract at the end of the season.Multiple Sussex players have deals expiring in the summer, including fast bowler Henry Crocombe, wicketkeeper John Simpson and batter Tom Clark.Bowling all-rounder Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Danny Lamb and Charlie Tear will also be out of contract."It's definitely starting to get to me because I feel a huge weight of responsibility to try and make the right decisions to give us a chance of having some sort of a squad next year," Farbrace told BBC Radio Sussex after the T20 defeat at Hampshire on Tuesday."I've been able to start having discussions with some players and I've got a lot more discussions to have with a few others over the coming days."They're discussions I'm not looking forward to having."'A chunk of players will leave'Sussex's leading County Championship wicket-taker Henry Crocombe is one of several players out of contract at the end of the season [Getty Images]Farbrace said it is "pretty obvious that this group of players have only got a few months left together"."Come the end of season, there will be a chunk of players leaving, and that's not their fault, it's not their decision and for some of them, it will be heartbreaking," he said.In what Farbrace described as a "pivotal week for the club", the 58-year-old has praised the players for their attitude throughout the ongoing uncertainty."The lads have been brilliant up to now," he said. "They've not let the disappointment and the anger of what's going on at the club get in the way."But it is going to be a tricky next couple of weeks."Sussex still face the prospect of another £1m shortfall this season and have to make cuts from their playing budget to reduce costs.Any contract offers they make to players have to be overseen by the ECB.Farbrace said it is his job to try and keep contract distractions away from the dressing room."But I'll be perfectly honest," he reiterated. "I'm not looking forward to the next couple of weeks in terms of the off-field stuff."

Juventus Re-Examine Aston Villa and Tottenham GoaliesJuventus have been forced to change their plans between the sticks, as Liverpool plot to keep Alisson, and are re-assessing some goalies who were attached to them in the past, Dibu Martinez and Guglielmo Vicario, Sky reports.The Argentinian talisman might end his long run at Aston Villa and is a proven winner, considering he has taken part in seven finals. However, the costs of the deal would be substantial, especially in terms of wages. The Bianconeri weren’t willing to spend a lot for the Reds specialist in previous weeks.Juventus will deepen the talks for Martinez and Vicario and then take stock. The latter was sort of left at the altar by Inter, which had been setting up his purchase for a while. However, Tottenham stiffened up after turning to Roberto De Zerbi, and the Nerazzurri have liked Josep Martinez’s final performances. He’ll be the starter next season.The Old Lady has also been linked to David De Gea, but he’s leaning toward staying at Fiorentina, Corriere dello Sport informs (via MSN). He’s given his green light to the management, so he won’t force his way out. It’ll be up to the club to decide what to do.Our Take on Juventus, Martinez, and VicarioAcquiring a veteran to patch things up for two or three years only makes sense if the costs are moderate. Otherwise, they might as well spend on a younger player who’d solve the issue for a longer period of time. The Spurs shot-stopper would be a halfway measure in that sense, but it’s unclear how much his side asks for him and if they are even keen on selling him.

In a now-deleted X post published Tuesday morning, rabidly anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) wrote, “Homosexuality has no place in America. Happy Nuclear Family Month.” After several Republican politicians called his statement “idiotic” and “insane,” Ogles deleted it later that day. He has previously said that “Muslims don’t belong in America” either. Even Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called out Ogles. Related Red states are declaring June something other than Pride Month in latest anti-LGBTQ+ trend In response to Ogles’ text, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) wrote via X, “Homosexuality exists. In America. In fact Andy, you have family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and constituents who are gay and lesbian. It doesn’t make them less than or somehow unworthy of being an American. What an absolutely idiotic statement.” Former Rep. George Santos (R-NY) also responded, writing, “As much as I support the Nuclear family and how fundamental it is for life. I never thought I’d hear a person I consider a friend say there is no place fore me in this country simply because of who I chose to love. I never once pushed my lifestyle onto anyone and have always voted and advocated for conservative principles. But I have the same civil rights as anyone else in this country and I am saddened by this insane comment.” Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Cruz, who has a long history of anti-LGBTQ+ actions, was asked about Ogles’ comments, and he told a TMZ reporter: “For all of recorded history, homosexuals have been part of humanity, and I got to say, I’m quite libertarian by nature. I think the behavior of consenting adults is their business.” While Ogles deleted his post, he has a long history of anti-LGBTQ+ animus. Ogles has called publicly available HIV and trans-related health information “a grave moral evil.” He called the most recent Super Bowl Halftime Show “gay pornography” and claimed it “glorified sodomy”. He has advocated overturning gay marriage and suggested that anti-LGBTQ+ MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk be given a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award that can be given to a civilian by Congress. In 2023, he chose to “honor” Pride Month by introducing two anti-LGBTQ+ bills in Congress, including one that would ban drag queen performances in elementary schools and another that would ban “federal funds from being used for the creation of any federal forms that include gender options beyond those of ‘male’ and ‘female.’” “Parents should not have to worry about sending their children to places of education, wondering whether hyper-sexualized drag queens will introduce inappropriate subject matter content to their children,” he said at the time. “My bill would ensure that not even a dime of taxpayer money is spent on drag queens in schools.” Ogles got a score of “0” on last session’s HRC Congressional Scorecard, showing his solid opposition to LGBTQ+ equality. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has called Ogles a “malignant clown and pathological liar.” During his early political career, he lied about being an economic expert and a law enforcement official who focused on international child sex trafficking. He has also once said during a congressional hearing that global warming isn’t real because he once trick-or-treated with his kids in 29-degree weather. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

In Columbus, Ohio, police have charged an unnamed 17-year-old with murder and felony assault for lethally stabbing his adoptive father and severely injuring his father’s husband. The stabbing occurred on Sunday, May 24, killing 58-year-old Mark Rayburn-Velco and severely injuring his husband, Brent Rayburn-Velco, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The teen allegedly broke into a room to commit the act before 7 a.m. that morning, and then fled on foot. Brent Rayburn-Velco called 911. Though both men were transported to the hospital for life-saving care, Mark Rayburn-Velco was pronounced dead at 7:58 a.m. Related Man charged with stabbing gay dancer O’Shae Sibley claims “it wasn’t my intention to hurt” Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Police used a drone and a K-9 officer to search for the suspect, WSYX reported. During the search, one witness told police that they saw the suspect running completely naked. Police eventually found the suspect in a wooded area about one mile away from his home, about three hours after the stabbing. The teen appeared in a juvenile court hearing last Tuesday, where prosecutors asked the judge to try the suspect as an adult. The judge ordered a competency evaluation for the teen as well as a guardian ad litem. Police do not think the incident was motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ hate. Social media photos showed Brent Rayburn-Velco recovering in a hospital with cuts to his face, neck, and arms. He said he will continue to recover and settle his husband’s estate in Ohio before going to West Virginia to be with friends and family. In a social media post mourning his husband, Brent Rayburn-Velco wrote, “God brought us to each other later in life and after several attempts of good and not so good relationships with others. We both knew how lucky we were to have each other.” He added that his husband’s death broke his heart “into a million pieces,” adding, “[Mark’s] whole life revolved around shaping the life that ultimately took his.” Jamarr Ingram, a stylist who used to cut the hair of both the deceased father and his son, told the aforementioned news station, “Mark was probably one of the nicest people, quiet, and he loved everybody. He just wanted the best for anybody and everybody.” “His son seemed like a normal teenager,” the stylist added. “Probably cutting him for three or four years, come in and asked him about sports, he had his girlfriend, never would’ve thought it would come to this.” The Rayburn-Velcos married in 2023. A neighbor told WSYX that he witnessed the teen once strike a girl, making her fall to the ground. The neighbor said one of the men assisted the girl, but no police were alerted about the incident. The Gay Softball World Series said it will donate a portion of its proceeds to the surviving husband’s recovery efforts. Mark Rayburn-Velco was an employee at Ohio State University. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

O'Neill has signed a new contract to keep him as NI boss until 2032 [Getty Images]Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill says the upcoming friendlies against Guinea and France provides an opportunity to "improve our possession-based football".O'Neill's side will aim to put the disappointment of March's World Cup play-off defeat by Italy behind them when they travel to face Guinea and France.NI are attempting to build momentum ahead of the Nations League campaign, where they have been drawn alongside Georgia, Hungary and Ukraine."Just to enjoy the game and try and get as many players as we can involved in the game," O'Neill told BBC Sport NI, when asked what the goals of the friendlies were."To see the further development of the team. I think as we develop as a team now, our possession-based football, maybe to see an improvement in that a little bit as our out-of-possession football has been excellent. "Every time we get together, you're hoping that we can further develop. The group is extremely young, it gives us an opportunity to bring younger players and get them around and just integrate as many young players as possible."Graham and O'Neill 'very much in our plans'Despite the inclusion of uncapped teenagers Braiden Graham and Ceadach O'Neill making headlines, O'Neill added that he is "not putting any expectation" on either player. Graham has been included after scoring 22 goals in 31 appearances for Everton's under-21 side, while O'Neill impressed in Arsenal's academy. However, neither have made a senior appearance at their clubs despite featuring on the bench. "We're not putting any expectation on these lads that are here," O'Neill continued. "They've been in our underage system. They're still yet to play first team football with their respective clubs, but they're obviously both at big clubs."The next phase for them, the next two or three years is very important. That 18 to 21 period in their career will determine a lot of whether they come through at their respective clubs or whether they go through the loan period. "A lot of variables in there, but we're here to let them know that they're very much in our plans."NI face Guinea in Spain on 4 June before travelling to take on France four days later in their final match before the World Cup.Guinea are ranked 10 places below Northern Ireland in the Fifa rankings with the sides set to meet for the first time in their history.O'Neill added that they have "done the same level of work that we would try to do in a competitive game" despite footage being hard to access. "The footage is not as readily accessible, but we know that they're a team that most of their players are obviously connected to European clubs and they play at different levels throughout Europe," he added."We know that a lot of their players will have come through the French system as well."So, we know it will be a tough game against an athletic team [with] a relatively new coach as well, a Portuguese coach, so we know that it will be a tough test."

Harsh Dubey expressed his excitement about sharing a dressing room with Indian cricket legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after receiving his maiden call-up to the senior national team. The 23-year-old Vidarbha and Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder was named in both India's ODI and Test squads for the upcoming home series against Afghanistan.The youngster admitted it took him several minutes to process the news, especially the prospect of sharing a dressing room with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two players he has admired throughout his cricketing journey."If you ask any young cricketer who they want to play with right now, the first two names will be Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. I have grown up watching them. Ever since I started understanding cricket, they have been performing for India and dominating world cricket. So, getting a chance to play with them is a huge achievement for me," Dubey said on Jiostar."I always wanted to play alongside at least one legend before they retire or whenever their final phase comes. Even if I get to play one match with them, it will be a dream-come-true moment for me," he added.Dubey revealed that he learned about his selection through a bizarre misunderstanding while waiting out a flight delay at Chennai airport with his SRH teammates. Speaking to JioStar, Dubey recalled receiving a phone call from a sports social media manager asking how it felt to be selected in the ODI squad. 131479860“We had reached the airport and found out our flight was delayed by an hour. I got a call from someone managing a cricket social media page, asking how I felt about my name being in the ODI series. Because of the noise and network issues in the lounge, I thought he was referring to the Sri Lanka A ODI tri-series, so I said it felt like one step closer to the dream and that my focus was still on the IPL.“As soon as I hung up, I started getting messages saying I had received both the Test and ODI call-ups. I was confused because the squad had just been announced, so I quickly checked online and saw the news. It honestly took me a few minutes to process what had happened. Even when Murali sir asked me who the other spinners in the squad were, I told him I had only seen my own name. It genuinely felt like I was dreaming,” Dubey stated.

Clemsonfootball has quickly become one of the biggest risers in the 2027 recruiting cycle.A few weeks ago, the Tigers were sitting outside the national spotlight in the team rankings. After a flurry of commitments, however, Clemson has surged to No. 6 in the 247Sports rankings and No. 12 in the industry rankings from On3 and Rivals. The Tigers now have 19 commitments in the class, including 12 that have pledged over the past two weeks.The latest additions came Monday when Clemson landed tight end Nicholas Pollack and four-star offensive tackle J.J. Brown, continuing a recruiting run that has helped reshape the class. Brown joined fellow offensive line commits Luke Starcevic, Carter Jones and Elijah Morrison, while defensive end Desmond Malpress remains one of the headliners on the defensive side.The rankings jump is encouraging, but Dabo Swinney Clemson fans saw a similar story play out a year ago.The Tigers built significant momentum during the 2026 cycle and appeared headed toward one of the nation’s top classes. Then the decommitments started. Several highly regarded prospects backed off their pledges, leaving Clemson with a much different group by the time signing day arrived.That’s why the focus now shifts from adding commitments to keeping them.Remembering when Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney showed up with a black eye📸 Alex Martin/Greenville News, Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images https://t.co/FEaq5PCI7Jpic.twitter.com/iwyzuLEXR1— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) June 2, 2026There’s no question Clemson has momentum on the recruiting trail. The Tigers are winning battles against major programs and filling important positions early in the cycle. But with months remaining before prospects can sign, maintaining that momentum may be just as important as creating it.If Clemson can hold this class together, the Tigers could continue climbing the rankings. If not, last year’s cycle serves as a reminder of how quickly things can change in recruiting.Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson is one of recruiting’s top risers in 2027 cycle, can they sustain?

USC baseball is a confident force right now. The Trojans lost the first game of their regional but then ran the table to advance to the NCAA Chapel Hill Super Regional. They know they can make the College World Series if they continue to play the way they did Saturday through Monday in College Station, Texas. However, let's be honest: The North Carolina team waiting for USC this weekend looks like an elite group. The traits found in winning baseball teams are currently in evidence on the Diamond Heels, as Tar Heels Wire explains:Writing about offensive sparkplug Erik Paulsen, Tar Heels Wire noted that "'Paulie,' as his UNC teammates call him, showed out in the Chapel Hill Regional. The Diamond Heels' first baseman, who transferred in from Stony Brook last offseason, mashed 6-for-12 with six RBI and two runs scored. North Carolina's usual top offensive producers are Owen Hull and Jake Schaffner, but if guys like Paulie can continue this type of production, wins will be easy to come by."You can see that UNC baseball has expected stars who are being helped by role players. That's a winning baseball formula with depth and balance in the batting order. There are no easy outs for Carolina, one through nine.Tar Heels Wire then looked at UNC's pitching situation, which is also defined by depth and balance:"Seven shutout innings with five strikeouts? That's exactly what Ryan Lynch brought in UNC's Regional-opening, 8-0 blanking of VCU on Friday. Lynch outplayed his fellow rotation mates in Boaz and ace Jason DeCaro, the latter of whom gave up three runs in just under four innings on Saturday. DeCaro will rebound, but for now, Lynch is the hot hand who'll help UNC win games going forward."North Carolina didn't get a good start from its staff ace and still won the regional fairly easily. The depth in UNC's starting rotation has to give the Diamond Heels confidence, and send a message to USC that this will be a very difficult assignment in Chapel Hill.This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: North Carolina baseball hits its stride as it prepares to face USC

The Atlanta Falcons have just made wide receiver Drake London one of the highest-paid players in franchise history.ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that the Falcons and Drake London have agreed to a four-year, $141 million deal, worth up to $150 million with $100 million guaranteed. The $150 million can be reached if London hits the incentives within it.Falcons are signing WR Drake London to a four-year, $141 million extension worth up to $150 million, including $100 million guaranteed, per his agent Andrew Kessler. It makes London the third highest paid receiver in the league with the highest average per year in Falcons… https://t.co/JayLqVcJQ7— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 2, 2026The deal will make London the third-highest-paid receiver in the NFL and the highest-ever average per year for the Atlanta Falcons.The $35.25 million average annual value of London's new deal makes him the NFL's third-highest-paid receiver behind the Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba ($42.15 million) and the Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase ($40.25 million).Highest paid receivers in the NFL on a per-year basis:🏈Jaxon Smith-Njigba: $42.15M🏈Ja’Marr Chase: $40.25M🏈Drake London: $35.25M🏈Justin Jefferson: $35M🏈CeeDee Lamb: $34M pic.twitter.com/zMklahdL3o— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 2, 2026The Falcons will now look to extend other top players, as they have already picked up Bijan Robinson's fifth-year option in April and franchise-tagged Kyle Pitts for 2026.London will play the 2026 season under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which is worth $16.8 million this season.This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Falcons and Drake London reach a massive $141 million extension

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01716-0Code of conduct.

Conte bids farewell to Napoli after ‘two winning years’Antonio Conte has said farewell to Napoli supporters online as he leaves his position as head coach after two years, two trophies and two consecutive top four finishes: ‘Two winning years with lots of emotion and passion’.Conte bids farewell to Napoli after ‘two winning years’Conte is leaving his position as head coach of Napoli after two seasons in charge and is set to be replaced by Massimiliano Allegri at the Stadio Maradona, the same progression of head coaches that Juventus went through in 2014.Conte has said his goodbyes to Napoli supporters on social media with a brief message that reads: “Two winning years with lots of emotion and passion! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.epa12129564 SSC Napoli�s coach Antonio Conte celebrates winning the 2024/2025 Serie A title after the Italian Serie A soccer match between SSC Napoli and Cagliari Calcio, in Naples, Italy, 23 May 2025. SSC Napoli won their fourth league title. EPA-EFE/CIRO FUSCOConte won Napoli’s fourth ever Serie A title during his first season in charge in 2024-25 and backed that up with a second-place finish in 2025-26, a season in which Napoli also won the Supercoppa Italiana.It remains to be seen where the 56-year-old will move next. He remains one of the main candidates to take over the vacant Italy national team head coach job and recent reports claim that there have been offers from both Turkiye and the Saudi Pro League.View this post on Instagram

Every Serie A player called up for the 2026 World CupItaly have painfully missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row, yet Serie A fans will still see many of their idols in the USA, Mexico and Canada this summer, with 66 players from Italy’s top flight called up.The 2026 World Cup is just around the corner and, unfortunately, it will not see the Azzurri among the participating teams.Italy faced elimination from the World Cup play-off Final in March, losing on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina and failing to qualify for the tournament for the third consecutive time.However, several Serie A stars will participate in the competition, which runs from June 11 to July 19.CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 31: Christian Pulisic of United States scores his team’s second goal against Mory Diaw of Senegal during the international friendly match between United States and Senegal at Bank of America Stadium on May 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)As reported by Gazzetta, Milan are the Serie A club with the most players participating in the 2026 World Cup (10), while Lazio, Lecce and newly-promoted Monza will have no representatives in the competition.Fresh Serie A winners Inter will have seven players at the World Cup, including Lautaro Martinez, the 2025-26 Serie A top goalscorer, who will defend his champion’s status with Argentina.Every Serie A player called up for the 2026 World CupAtalanta: Hien (Sweden), Kolasinac (Bosnia), De Ketelaere (Belgium), Kossounou (Ivory Coast), Sulemana (Ghana), Pasalic (Croatia), De Roon (The Netherlands).Bologna: Moro (Croatia), Lucumì (Colombia), Ferguson (Scotland), Freuler (Switzerland), Heggem (Norway).Cagliari: Mina (Colombia).Como: Nico Paz (Argentina), Baturina (Croatia), Diao (Senegal).SANTIAGO, CHILE – JUNE 5: Nico Paz of Argentina and Rodrigo Echeverría of Chile battles for the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Chile and Argentina at Estadio Nacional de Chile on June 5, 2025 in Santiago, Chile. (Photo by Marcelo Hernandez/Getty Images)Fiorentina: Pongracic (Croatia)Frosinone: Ghedjemis (Algeria).Genoa: Ostigard (Norway), Vasquez (Mexico).Inter: Lautaro Martínez (Argentina), Thuram (France), Sučić (Croatia), Calhanoglu (Turkey), Akanji (Switzerland), Dumfries (The Netherlands), Bonny (Ivory Coast).Juventus: Bremer (Brazil), Yildiz (Turkey), Conceiçao (Portugal), McKennie (USA), Koopmeiners (The Netherlands), David (Canada). (Holm injured, pulled out of Sweden NT).Milan: Maignan (France), Rabiot (France), De Winter (Belgium), Saelemaekers (Belgium), Estupinan (Ecuador), Modric (Croatia), Leao (Portugal), Jashari (Switzerland), Pulisic (USA), Gimenez (Mexico).ZAGREB, CROATIA – SEPTEMBER 08: Luka Modric of Croatia applauds the fans after the team’s victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Croatia and Montenegro at Stadion Maksimir on September 08, 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia. (Photo by Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images)Napoli: De Bruyne, Lukaku (Belgium), McTominay (Scotland), Olivera (Uruguay). (Gilmour injured, pulled out of Scotland NT).Parma: Suzuki (Japan), Circati (Australia).Roma: Malen (The Netherlands), Ndicka (Ivory Coast), El Aynaoui (Morocco), Koné (France), Celik (Turkey), Wesley (Brazil).Sassuolo: Muharemovic (Bosnia), Thorstvedt (Norway), Koné (Canada), Volpato (Australia).Torino: Vlasic (Croatia), Adams (Scotland), Pedersen (Norway).Udinese: Karlstrom (Sweden).Venezia: Farji (Iraq), Svoboda (Austria), Yeboah (Ecuador).

There are always bad receiver rooms somewhere in the NFL. Who can forget Josh Allen having to throw to Robert Foster, Zay Jones and Kelvin Benjamin as a rookie? This year, though, might be particularly special in that regard. In New York, Garrett Wilson and Tim Patrick are the only receivers with even one 500-yard season on their resume. Patrick’s came five years ago. In Washington, it’s just Terry McLaurin and Van Jefferson, and like Patrick, Jefferson’s was in 2021. And they don’t even have a first-round rookie, with third-rounder Antonio Williams the top prospect. In Las Vegas, Tre Tucker and Phillip Dorsett are the receivers with 500-yard seasons, and Dorsett’s came 10 years ago. No rookie, and the “big” free agent acquisition was Jalen Nailor. And Miami might top them all. The Dolphins do have two 500-yard receivers, and both came more recently than the Dorsetts and Patricks and Jeffersons. But those two guys are Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert (both in 2024), so it’s not like there’s anything like a stud there. The rest of the offense after De’Von Achane is similarly disappointing. So is there fantasy value in Miami in 2026? Let’s explore.2026 Sleepers, Busts & Bold Predictions: Miami DolphinsSleeper: Greg Dulcich, TEDulcich last year had his best year since his rookie season in 2022. Of course, he totaled 53 scoreless yards in the two years in between, so that’s not saying much. Still, he played 10 games in Miami, and if you take out his ease-him-in Week 8 with 0 targets, he averaged 3.7 targets, 2.9 receptions and 37.2 yards the rest of the season, topping 40 yards five times. No, that’s not going to set any records, but given he was the No. 2 TE (at best) on a team that was playing out the string with guys like Zach Wilson and Quinn Ewers, you can do way worse. Now, Darren Waller is gone, and Dulcich is set up to be the clear TE1 from the start of the season. There are no known quantities on this offense behind De’Von Achane in the backfield. A low-end TE1 season on sheer quantity is well within Dulcich’s range of outcomes in this situation.Bust: De’Von Achane, RBThis is a halfhearted selection, if only because the only possible candidates on the Miami roster are Achane and Malik Willis, and even Willis is going outside the top 20 QBs in the earliest ADP. So it’s Achane, even if I’m not over the moon about having to select him. That said, he has more warning signs than most backs going as high as him. First off, he’s in what very well might be the worst offense in football and behind a bottom-six offensive line. Opponents know the team has one trustworthy weapon, so Achane will face every stacked box possible. And a bigger problem is that the defense also looks like it’s going to be a mess. The Dolphins will be in catch-up mode all season. Achane is a prolific enough pass-catcher, but at a 0.4-yard aDOT (per FTN Stats & Charting), he’s not the option you go to when you’re desperate to score fast. Achane has every opportunity in 2026, but the overall team might just be too bad for any running back to succeed.Bold Prediction: Malik Washington Is the Dolphins’ WR1ADP this early is pretty vague. Someone who is in the top 20 now might barely be top 40 later after some roster moves and news and injuries. But it can give us some information. And while no Dolphin is even in the top 70 among WRs of early ADP, no team has more WRs in the top 140 than the Dolphins.TeamTop 140 WRs TeamTop 140 WRsMiami7Detroit4New England6Houston4San Francisco6Jacksonville4Baltimore5Kansas City4Buffalo5LA Chargers4Cleveland5New Orleans4Denver5Seattle4Las Vegas5Tampa Bay4NY Giants5Washington4Philadelphia5Arizona3Tennessee5Green Bay3Atlanta4Indianapolis3Carolina4LA Rams3Chicago4Minnesota3Cincinnati4NY Jets3Dallas4Pittsburgh3(Stefon Diggs, Deebo Samuel, Tyreek Hill and Keenan Allen are all going in the top 140 but are not on teams.) What does that mean? Well, it means that drafters are trying really hard to figure out where the targets in Miami will go, and they don’t know. It’s all very “If you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have one,” only times seven. If I’m picking right now, though, give me Washington. The rookies are not exciting — Caleb Douglas was an overdraft by pretty much any analyst’s board, Chris Bell is recovering from a torn ACL, and Kevin Coleman Jr. was a fifth-rounder and the 27th receiver off the board. Atwell and Tolbert were castoffs who could never make it as their original teams’ WR3s. Theo Wease Jr., Terrace Marshall Jr., Tahj Washington … it’s a bunch of names, not much intrigue. If you’re looking for explosiveness, the options are Malik Washington and Atwell. If you’re looking for experience in Miami, it’s Malik Washington and Wease. If you’re looking for versatility, it’s Malik Washington (22 carries in two years) and Coleman (19 carries in college). We might not get any fantasy value out of the Miami receivers in 2026. But if there’s one, my choice is Malik Washington.

Red Sox On The Clock With Tommy Kahnle Decision originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Boston Red Sox have a decision to make about reliever Tommy Kahnle.The right-hander "opted out of his minor league contract with the Red Sox on Tuesday, leaving the team 48 hours to call him up, trade him, or else allow him to become a free agent," according to the Boston Globe's Alex Speier.The Sox are “still working through this,” Speier reports, per a source, and "have not made a decision either way. ... To add Kahnle, Boston would need to clear spots on both its 40-man and 26-man rosters."Some options the front office might be considering are moving left-hander Garrett Crochet or shortstop Trevor Story to the 60-day injured list.Should the Red Sox decide not to elevate Kahnle, "other teams have expressed interest in the 36-year-old righty," Speier reports.Kahnle, an 11-year MLB veteran, has impressed with the WooSox, posting a sterling 1.40 ERA in 18 appearances with 21 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings.He signed a minor-league contract with Boston in March. The current scouting report on Kahnle reveals a veteran who can still make an impact."An elite changeup has been Kahnle’s primary pitch in recent years," Charlie Wright of MLB Trade Rumors reports. "The offering posted a +4 Run Value this past season. Kahnle’s changeup had the fifth-highest Run Value in the league in 2024."The veteran is throwing the pitch at a 63.4% clip with the WooSox, which is actually a bit low for him. Kahnle has thrown the changeup at least 72% of the time in four straight years," Wright adds. "He’s sitting 93 mph on the four-seamer, which is down slightly from 2025 (93.5 mph)."Speier reports Kahnle wasn't with Triple-A Worcester yesterday for is game against Buffalo.More MLB: Red Sox Veteran Gives Cryptic Explanation For Team's Historic Home Woes

If the Carolina Panthers decide to trade one of their high-profile players this year, the likeliest candidate is wide receiver Xavier Legette. Entering his third year in the NFL, Legette is easily the most disappointing player on Carolina's roster—consistently falling short of expectations since being drafted in the first round in 2024.General manager Dan Morgan still seems to believe that Legette can turn things around, even after throwing new third-round pick Chris Brazzell II into the mix. But the jury remains out—and Legette has been named, by Moe Moton over at Bleacher Report, as the player that the Panthers should trade.Moton writes:Legette is unlikely to see significant growth behind [Tetairoa] McMillan. The Panthers may be able to find a trade partner for Legette because of the wideout's draft pedigree, though the compensation won't be much because the wideout has fallen short of expectations, hauling in 84 receptions for 860 yards and seven touchdowns.Carolina might be lucky to get a decent Day 3 pick for Legette at this point. Then again, they did somehow manage to squeeze a fourth-round pick out of the Dallas Cowboys for Jonathan Mingo in 2024—and he showed a lot less than Legette has.For now, the best the Panthers could probably do is wait and see if 2026 brings about a spark for the struggling wideout.Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: WR Xavier Legette named Panthers' most likely trade candidate for 2026

During a town hall in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday night, out former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg hilariously mocked the right-wing organization for young conservatives, Turning Point USA. “As a tactical matter, I’ll give the Turning Point folks a lot of strategic credit for going to a lot of different places,” said Buttiegieg, who is probably running for president. “To them, going to these college campuses is kind of the equivalent, in their minds, of the way I feel when I go on Fox News.” Related Gay dad punches right-wing commentator after being tricked into a homophobic interview “The difference is, when I go on Fox News, I’m telling the truth,” he added, chuckling as he said the words. The crowd erupted in applause. “But that idea of going everywhere is something we gotta do, too,” Buttigieg continued, emphasizing the need for education to focus on producing independent thinkers. “One of the reasons why institutions like universities and museums and national parks and late-night television comedy and journalism have come under attack is not because they are liberal, it’s because they are independent, and we need to defend the independence of these institutions and their ability to think for themselves.” The crowd, again, applauded. Buttigieg: I’ll give the Turning Point folks a lot of strategic credit for going to a lot of different places. Going to these college campuses is kind of the equivalent, in their minds, of the way I feel when I go on Fox News.The difference is, when I go on Fox News, I’m… pic.twitter.com/nJLvkwbsT0— Acyn (@Acyn) April 19, 2026 Turning Point USA – founded by the late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk and now headed by Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk – is an anti-LGBTQ+ organization that often hosts events on college campuses. Charlie Kirk was known for inviting liberal students to debate him.

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Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is the cover model for Madden NFL 27.EA Sports made it official today, releasing the Madden cover image, which depicts Williams throwing a jump pass, set against the Chicago skyline.Williams' jump-pass pose is similar to the fourth-down touchdown throw he made to Rome Odunze in the Bears' wild card playoff win over the Packers. It's the second year in a row that EA Sports has gone with a pose from a highlight of the previous season; last year it was Eagles running back Saquon Barkley's spectacular backwards hurdle of a defender.The Deluxe Edition cover shows Williams in his white road jersey with snowflakes falling around him, perhaps a nod to the "Iceman" nickname Williams would like to trademark.

New FC Barcelona signing Anthony Gordon and Raphinha are set for a direct battle for the left wing spot under Hanis Flick next season.The FA via Getty ImagesNew FC Barcelona signing Anthony Gordon and Raphinha are set for a direct battle for the left wing spot under Hansi Flick next season.Barca shocked their fans and the football world last week when signing the former Newcastle United forward in an $81.7 million deal (€70 million) that could rise past $93 million (€80 million) through add-ons.One of the first questions thrown up by the transfer was whether Gordon and Marcus Rashford can co-exist in the same squad.They’re currently doing that in Thomas Tuchel’s England counterpart, and will try to impress the German for the starting spot during the Three Lions’ World Cup campaign in the United States this month.At club level, though, we have to wait and see what happens with Rashford. His loan expires on June 30, and already we’ve had reports on Barca trying to offer half of his $35 million (€30 million) buy option.Where does Raphinha fit into this at Barcelona?Yet not much as really been asked of Raphinha. He’s been Flick’s lock on the left wing, after having to adapt to the rise of Lamine Yamal which pushed him off the right under Xavi Hernandez.Raphinha could possibly drift into the centre as a CAM, but that position is pretty stacked with Fermin Lopez - currently injured - and Dani Olmo the main candidates.SPORT believes that Barca pursuing a number 9 puts Gordon and Raphinha into a direct battle.With Robert Lewandowski’s contract expiring on June 30, Barca need an heir to the Pole, who goes down as a modern day club legend. Across four seasons, ‘Lewa’ won three La Liga titles and entered the institution’s top 10 all times scorers with a strike on the last day of the season against Valencia.At the moment, Julian Alvarez is the top target. Sources in Argentina say that the World Cup winner has agreed a five-year contract with the player, but the Catalans will have to improve their $116 million (€100 million) offer formally made on the day Gordon was unveiled.This attempted coup means that Gordon isn’t fancied as a central target man, and could instead challenge Raphinha on the left wing.With the Brazilian starting to show signs of wear and tear at the age of 29, however, there may be minutes for everyone. He missed a total of 112 days in 2025/2026, including both quarterfinal legs against Atletico Madrid, which many felt contributed to a painful elimination at the hands of Alvarez and Co. for Barcelona.This article was originally published on Forbes.com

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 07: The ABS system displayed on the scoreboard at Fenway Park during a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers on April 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Red Sox have a problem. No, not the worst home start in 94 years.View LinkNo, not the lack of a right-handed power bat. We’re all watching you hit those homers Mr. Polar Bear. No, not missing their two biggest names: Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony.Well, all of those are problems too. But there’s also ABS. Note, this post is about two weeks old. But the message is the same.The Red Sox are bad at challenges. Now, this isn’t the time to dig into this. That will be after the season when we have all the data. For the moment we can simply wonder what Alex Cora was doing all spring with these guys and take a peak here and there at how ABS is befuddling the team. Right now the Red Sox have won 18 challenges as hitters and 19 challenges as (mostly) catchers. That works out to overturning 18 of 48 (38%) of challenges as hitters and 19 of 37 (51%) challenges brought by catchers and pitchers.In raw numbers, Caleb Durbin and Willson Contreras each have 3 successful challenges out of 7 and 8 opportunities, respectively. Roman Anthony is still in a tie for 2 correct challenges (of 3) with Trevor Story (2), Wilyer Abreu (4), and Ceddanne Rafaela (9). Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong are each 1 for 1. Masataka and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are each 1 for 2.The the rest have challenged incorrectly each time: Jarren Duran (1), Marcelo Mayer (1), Nick Sogard (2), Mickey Gasper (2), Andruw Monasterio (3). To be fair, some of these are still good challenges. Monasterio is right to think this may have been a ball.View LinkIs the 6th inning with one on, no outs, the time to challenge is debatable. But if the Sox weren’t in the basement it wouldn’t be frustrating to see a ball clip the edge of the zone and be confirmed a strike.The catchers have done better. Connor Wong is right 75% of the time at 6 for 8. Mickey Gasper is 2 for 3. And Carlos Narvaez 10 for 23. Pitchers have made a combined 3 challenges. Ryan Watson got his overturned and won while Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray each lost.All of which makes some sense.Which is why Chad Tracy is introducing ABS practice, starting, presumably, yesterday.Will it help? It can’t hurt. I don’t know what the plan was with Alex Cora. Other teams challenge far more. And many of those succeed at a high rate to boot.Tracy has said he wants more challenges. He wants more aggressive base running. He’s the manager, he can shift the tone. But it made me wonder: Red Sox hitters are correct 38% of the time, but what about Worcester? What about those guys Tracy was working with on challenges? As it turns out, the Worcester Red Sox are 36 for 71 (51%) in hitter challenges. Mickey Gasper was 6 for 6 down there, Nick Sogard 4 for 7. Kristian Campbell is 4 for 8. Tsung-Che Cheng has challenged 11 times and was right 5 times.By total number of challenges, Worcester is 7th. By overturn percentage, their hitters are 8th.Their fielders are more middle of the pack with the 12th most challenges but are 6th in overturn percentage at 66%.Tracy know what he’s missing. He knows it’s something clearly emphasized in AAA and not the MLB level. Let’s see if ABS Boot Camp makes a difference for the remaining two-thirds of the season.

Image Credit: Andrei Armiagov / Shutterstock.If you have spent any real time on a golf course, you already know the game has a way of humbling you in the most creative ways imaginable. Bad lies, unplayable bounces, penalty strokes that feel deeply personal. But what happened to amateur golfer Mark Knecht during a U.S. Senior Open qualifying round at Miami Valley Country Club in Dayton, Ohio recently is something else entirely. This is the kind of story that gets told at the 19th hole until someone calls it an outright lie.To set the scene: Knecht was working through a qualifier, the type of pressure-cooker round that separates the guys who play good golf from the guys who can play good golf when something is actually on the line. These one-day stroke play qualifiers for USGA events are serious business. Every shot counts, every ruling matters, and the margins are thin. There is very little room for the kind of chaos that was about to unfold.On the par-4 12th hole, Knecht hit a tee shot that went significantly offline. That happens. He did the responsible thing and immediately hit a provisional ball, as the rules require when there is a reasonable chance the first shot either left the course or is simply gone. His group searched the allotted three minutes, found nothing, and moved on toward the green with the provisional in play. Standard procedure so far.Then a red pickup truck came rolling down the middle of the fairway with a freshly cracked windshield and a driver who had a pretty good idea who was responsible. That is when this round stopped being a golf story and started being something you would not believe if a buddy told it to you at a cookout.A Pickup Truck on the Fairway Is Not Covered in Most Rules of Golf DiscussionsAccording to reporting by Ryan French at MondayQ, a site that does excellent work covering the side of golf most people never see, including amateur tournaments, qualifying events, and the grind of Monday Q tour hopefuls, the truck pulled up and stopped roughly 10 to 15 yards short of the group. The driver was understandably not pleased about a shattered windshield on what was presumably a perfectly normal Tuesday morning until a golf ball introduced itself to the glass at high velocity.Here is where the story gets genuinely interesting from a golf etiquette and rules standpoint. Not one person in the group, not Knecht's playing partners, not the caddies, and not the rules officials who were present on the hole, gave up Knecht's identity during the confrontation. In competitive golf, that kind of quiet solidarity among a group is notable. The situation eventually resolved itself when the truck driver headed back up toward the clubhouse to pursue whatever comes next after a golf ball destroys your windshield. Knecht, meanwhile, was left to finish out the hole.He carded a triple bogey. Given the circumstances, that almost seems understandable. A cracked windshield and a face-off in the middle of a fairway is not exactly the mental environment that produces clean iron play into a green.What Exactly Is a Golfer Liable For When a Shot Damages a Vehicle?This is a question any golfer with any distance at all should think about seriously. Under long-standing golf tradition and, in many cases, actual legal precedent, golfers are generally not liable for errant shots when they have given adequate warning such as shouting "fore" and are playing within the normal conduct of the game.Course liability signage and local rules often address this, and many courses post notices informing visitors that they assume some risk from errant shots. That said, every situation is different, local laws vary, and anyone who has ever put a ball through a windshield or a window knows that "not legally liable" and "this situation being over" are two very different things.The practical reality is that most golfers in that position do the right thing and work it out with the affected party. What became of Knecht's windshield situation after the round, the reporting does not say.One Hole Later, the Golf Gods Apparently Felt They Owed Him OneAfter wrapping up the 12th hole with a scorecard that now had a 7 on it, Knecht's group moved to the 13th tee. It was a 143-yard par-3. Knecht, the last to hit in the group, struck a shot that tracked directly at the flagstick, took a single hop, and disappeared into the cup. A hole-in-one. On the hole immediately following a triple bogey, a windshield confrontation, and what had to be an emotionally disorienting few minutes on a golf course.Holes-in-one are genuinely rare. Estimates suggest that for the average amateur golfer, the odds of making an ace on any given par-3 are somewhere in the range of 12,500 to 1. For skilled amateurs competing in USGA qualifiers, those odds improve considerably, but it is still an uncommon event in anyone's career, let alone one that happens to land on the hole right after one of the stranger scenes in recent amateur golf memory.Knecht finished the round at five over par, a 76 total, which was not enough to advance to the U.S. Senior Open. The scorecard, however, contained both a 1 and a 7 on consecutive holes, which is a combination most golfers will never see in any context, let alone back to back during a USGA qualifying event. He did not make it to the tournament, but he walked away with a story that will outlast any result a qualifying round could have produced.Unfortunately, local authorities have not released any images of the culprit. When agencies provide limited details, we supplement reporting with local news coverage, public records, and direct outreach whenever possible. In this case, no additional information was available at the time of publication.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

📸 Need the tricky ones? Sampaoli swaps World Cup stickers in BrazilFootball always delivers little gems off the pitch, and Jorge Sampaoli is behind the latest viral moment on social media. The man from Casilda, the last coach of the Argentina national team at a World Cup before the Scaloni era, was caught in a completely unknown side of himself, miles away from the heavy dressing-room politics and the pressure of elite performance.Without a club since leaving Atlético Mineiro, the coach showed up at a gathering spot in Rio de Janeiro. Why? He was fully immersed in negotiating and hunting down the hard-to-find stickers to fill up the album. A passion that, as we know well in Argentina, knows no age or borders.The scene took two seconds to blow up on Twitter and Instagram. The guy who once managed in some of the most intense stadiums on the planet was there, sitting on the floor like it was nothing alongside kids and parents. The tactician was enjoying the afternoon deep in negotiations with his 6-year-old son León.With the international tournament just around the corner, official album fever has hit hard in Brazil. Fairs and improvised swap meets have sprung up in plenty of cities, bringing together collectors of all generations who show up with stacks of duplicates to see what they can get.Sampaoli has a long history in Brazilian football after spells with Santos and Flamengo, but his World Cup résumé is massive. He coached Chile in 2014 and, four years later, pulled on Argentina’s training gear in Russia 2018, as the direct predecessor to the most successful cycle of recent times.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike that hit Burj al-Shamali village near the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, Tuesday, June 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)2026-06-03T09:57:41Z BEIRUT (AP) — President Donald Trump in an interview released Wednesday confirmed an earlier report that he criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “crazy” in a Monday phone call, saying he was “a little bit perturbed” that Israel’s fighting of Hezbollah in Lebanon was holding back peace talks with Iran.But even as the U.S. president acknowledged the tensions, he insisted that his relationship with Netanyahu was solid and they connected, in part, because they’re both “wartime” leaders.“We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot. And I work very well with him,” Trump told The New York Post’s “Pod Force One.”The president’s acknowledgement of the tense call with Netanyahu that involved expletives is a sign of the growing pressure he faces to resolve the Iran war, as higher energy prices and economic uncertainty are harming Republicans going into midterm elections and hampering global commerce. But Trump remained noncommittal about a timeline for settling the conflict, saying the Strait of Hormuz might stay blocked through the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 7. He has insisted that Iran stop any efforts that could lead to a nuclear weapon and that the strait be reopened for the shipments of oil and natural gas. “I don’t know. I mean, I think it could be (closed through Labor Day), but I think it’s unlikely. I think that we’ll have it. I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly,” Trump said. Read More The U.S. president added that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his late father, is “involved” in peace talks for ending the war.“They have a lot of respect for him,” Trump said in the interview with “Pod Force One.”Trump said that Khamenei is not doing well due to injuries sustained in an airstrike, but “they say he’s giving approval because that’s the way it has been for a long, long time.” Khamenei’s father was killed as part of airstrikes when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran at the end of March. Still, the path toward a durable ceasefire remained unclear as hostilities continued in Lebanon.An Israeli strike Wednesday hit a car on a busy highway just south of Beirut, hours before the second day of talks between Lebanon and Israel in Washington are set to take place.The strike in Khaldeh came without warning, and it was not immediately clear if the person targeted was killed. Israel usually says it targets members of the Hezbollah militant group in these drone strikes.Israel and Lebanon on Monday reached a U.S.-brokered agreement where Israel would not strike Beirut’s southern suburbs and Hezbollah would end its attacks on northern Israel. The agreement was made hours after Israel announced that it was going to launch strikes across the sprawling urban neighborhoods near the Lebanese capital in what would have been the most intense strikes since a nominal ceasefire went into effect on April 17.The State Department said progress was made during the first day of talks on Tuesday. Lebanon hopes to widen the scope of the ceasefire so it becomes comprehensive across the country. Israel wants to disarm Hezbollah immediately before it ends its operations in Lebanon and withdraws its troops from dozens of villages and towns. Not long after the strike on Khaldeh, the Israeli military said it intercepted what it called a hostile aircraft coming from southern Lebanon, but did not immediately blame Hezbollah. Hezbollah has not claimed a cross-border attack since the agreement. Israeli military warning rattles coastal cityIsraeli strikes over southern Lebanon continued, especially in and around the battered cities of Tyre and Nabatiyeh. Overnight, two strikes near Tyre killed four Syrians and two Palestinians. Israel overnight warned the Christian neighborhoods in the coastal city of Tyre that Hezbollah members are among them. Many Lebanese Shiite Muslims fled to those areas in recent days because they were spared from the aerial bombardment along the Mediterranean coast. After the warning, the Lebanese army deployed to the Christian district of Tyre in an effort to prevent Israeli attacks there and to show that Hezbollah has no armed presence in the area. Israel launched an invasion of southern Lebanon days after the latest war was sparked on March 2 when Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets towards northern Israel in solidarity with Iran. Israeli troops have pushed deeper into Lebanon over the past week, as Hezbollah continues to claim rocket and drone attacks. The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has killed 3,468 people in Lebanon and displaced 1.2 million people. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, at least 27 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon. Two civilians have also been killed in northern Israel.Among the 27 killed was a soldier in southern Lebanon, whose death was announced late Monday by Israel’s military. It added that seven more soldiers were wounded in the incident, three of them severely. Hezbollah’s use of hard-to-detect fiber-optic drones has been deadly for the Israeli military, which is struggling to respond.___Boak reported from Washington. KAREEM CHEHAYEB Chehayeb is an Associated Press reporter in Beirut. twitter instagram mailto JOSH BOAK Boak covers the White House and economic policy for The Associated Press. He joined the AP in 2013. twitter mailto

Meta announced a new Instagram Plus subscription plan for $3.99, allowing extra features such as the ability to extend stories longer than 24 hours and see who rewatched users’ stories. What do you think? “I don’t really need any of those features, but Mark Zuckerberg looks like he could use a few bucks.” Maddy Diedricksen, Cracker Marketer “At long last, something worthy of my hard-earned $3.99.” Herbert Karpf, Wax Molder “I always thought my friendships were missing key analytics.” Levi Hall, Preservative Tester The post Meta Launches Instagram Plus appeared first on The Onion.

Scientists officially know 0.0000000000000000001% of what’s on the ocean floor now that Ron Green, 36, drowned in one. The post Ron Green appeared first on The Onion.

Owners Will Retain Access To The Ring Cam: It’s not that big of a deal. They want to see what you’ll be up to. Reference #918445 The post Owners Will Retain Access To The Ring Cam appeared first on The Onion.

DENVER—Remarking that the anti-meat advertisement had significantly misjudged his moral boundaries, local man Tyler Richards reported Tuesday that a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals billboard had falsely assumed he wouldn’t eat his cat. “I know they’re trying to make eating other animals seem wrong, but honestly, I bet my Kiki would taste incredible deep-fried with a little aioli,” said Richards, observing that the ad’s depiction of a cat trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey looked tastier than most advertisements he had seen for actual foods. “That billboard isn’t making me vegetarian—it’s just making me hungry. I’d spatchcock and oven-roast my pet of seven years in a heartbeat if I knew the right internal temperature to shoot for. Just the thought of Kiki’s skin turning crispy and golden brown while some roast potatoes catch the drippings has got me salivating. In fact, I might just have to swing by the grocery store on my way home for some shallots and fresh parsley now that I’ve worked up such a hankering for cat.” Richards went on to state that a PETA social media post meant to make him reconsider his dairy consumption had falsely assumed he wouldn’t eagerly breastfeed from an anthropomorphic cow. The post PETA Billboard Falsely Assumes Man Wouldn’t Eat His Cat appeared first on The Onion.

FORT WORTH, TX—In a move that left hundreds of longtime residents scrambling to find alternative housing, municipal construction crews reportedly demolished a local Black neighborhood Thursday, part of an ongoing city project to make room for nothing in particular. “For decades, this part of Fort Worth has languished as nothing more than a loving community for African American families and a bustling hub for Black-owned businesses,” said Mayor Mattie Parker, adding that the destruction of dozens of beloved restaurants, theaters, barbershops, and newspapers was an essential step toward creating more vacant lots that could sit empty behind fences for an indefinite length of time. “To be clear, we have no plans to construct any new high-rises, public parks, or sports stadiums where this neighborhood used to be. Nor are we encouraging private developers to build something in this once-vital place where Black residents maintained roots for generations, coming here to live, play, eat, and work. We just figured we’d bulldoze 30 or so blocks and see what happens. While we are proud of this neighborhood’s history, the time has come to make way for complete nothingness.” Mayor Parker went on to share computer-generated renderings of what the proposed plant overgrowth in the area might look like once the city completed its $10 million devitalization project across multiple minority communities. The post Black Neighborhood Demolished To Make Room For Nothing In Particular appeared first on The Onion.

The Los Angeles Rams already made a major splash by acquiring Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in a blockbuster trade. Garrett, who recorded 23 sacks in 2025, arrived for his introductory press conference with the Rams. What happened next sent the football world into overdrive.Nov 8, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams former player Aaron Donald holds the LAFC falcon before a 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One match between LAFC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BMO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-Imagn ImagesLos Angeles sent edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round selection to Cleveland to land Garrett. The deal instantly made the Rams the favorite to win Super Bowl LXI, with FanDuel listing them at +550. But the conversation shifted completely when a reporter asked head coach Seran McVay about a name the Rams hadn’t suited up since March 2024, three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald.McVay made his position unmistakably clear when reporters pressed him on whether the organization would welcome Donald back. The coach confirmed he stays in close contact with Donald and had already discussed the Garrett acquisition with him before the trade became public.“Listen, if he’s interested, there is no… here’s what I’ll say,” McVay said. “You talk to Aaron, and you see what he’s saying about that.” “Aaron’s a guy that I stay really close in touch with, and I know the respect that he has for Myles. Talk to him about the opportunity to be able to bring him on board. If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip.”The speculation did not start with McVay. Former Rams teammate Michael Brockers hinted on Monday that Donald had been getting in shape, just in case a reason to return emerged. Donald also told Pat McAfee that the Garrett trade had him thinking, and he posted workout videos on Instagram with the hashtag “#ready” in the days before the trade was confirmed.Donald has since texted that he is “for sure flirting with the idea,” citing the Super Bowl being held at SoFi Stadium this year as a factor in his thinking.Aaron Donald Walked Away From $30 MillionDonald retired in March 2024 at age 32, leaving $30 million in guaranteed money on the table. His stated reason was simple: the passion to play through another full season was no longer there. Two years later, the landscape in Los Angeles has changed dramatically, and his answer appears to have changed with it.“I’m complete. I’m full. I think the passion to play the game is no longer there for me,” Donald said at retirement. “I will always love football, but to think about going through another camp and another 17-game season – I just don’t…”The trade that changed his calculus was historic in its own right. Garrett had recorded double-digit sacks in every season of his career except his rookie year, and had brought 125.5 career sacks to Los Angeles.Donald’s own career statistics make his potential return legitimate rather than sentimental. In his final season in 2023, Donald’s retirement and the numbers he left behind: 111 career sacks, 10 Pro Bowl selections, eight first-team All-Pro nods, and three Defensive Player of the Year awards. He posted eight sacks in 16 games that final season. The tools have not disappeared.No final decision is expected until Donald meets with McVay and Rams executives later this week. The Super Bowl LXI is scheduled at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, a detail that Donald himself referenced in his text to Schultz. If the fire returns, the NFL could be looking at the most fearsome defensive line it has ever seen.The post Three-Time Defensive Player of the Year May Un-Retire After Rams Land Myles Garrett appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.

The Boston Celtics have built their teams in a number of ways over the decades, but few if any methods have born more fruit than through the NBA draft. The best players to suit up for the Celtics have, by and large, come to Boston either through being taken directly in the annual event, or via trades made that night.And it is not just the top stars who have been picked up by the Celtics via the draft. Countless members of the storied ball club's alumni have been taken by the team via that annual event, and some schools are better represented than others. We can see blue blood programs and some very small schools both delivering top talent to Boston's rosters over the years, so we decided to take a look at which players came from which schools overall.So without further ado, let's take a look at every player who has been drafted by the Celtics out of Loyola Chicago.Andre Battle - guardDraft year and position: 3rd round (23rd pick, 70th overall), 1985 NBA DraftSeasons at Loyola Chicago: 4Seasons played with Celtics: did not make the teamAll stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKpiTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Every Loyola Chicago player drafted by the Celtics

In the span of just 10 plays during Washington’s seventh spring practice, new Washington cornerback Emmanuel Karnley broke up three passes. Those three were en route to his seven total, unofficially, during April’s 15 practices. Karnley’s seven pass breakups were the second-most on the team during the spring, and it is just a small sample of the ways the Virginia transfer can make an impact on the Husky defense this fall. “He’s like the sound vet that we need right now,” secondary coach John Richardson said of Karnley this spring. “He’s played a ton of games and then played at a high level last year as well. So he’s kind of come in and really settled the group a little bit.”Veteran CB Emmanuel KarnleyReps and ExperienceKarnley was a 10-game starter in 2025 for the Virginia Cavaliers, playing in all 14 games on the season. He registered eight pass breakups, an interception, and 26 total tackles, helping Virginia reach the ACC title game. Like Richardson pointed out, Karnley brings a key veteran presence to the cornerbacks’ room for Washington this fall. In terms of career snap count, Karnley has the most by a significant margin. Last year in Charlottesville, he was on the field for 657 defensive snaps and was targeted 52 times in coverage. In three years of college, he’s played over 1,000 defensive snaps and has been targeted 95 times in 25 games played.By comparison, Dylan Robinson and Rahshawn Clark, the expected starters at cornerback and nickel, combined for 758 snaps and 53 targets in coverage last year. That was Robinson’s true freshman campaign, and Clark played just seven snaps in 2024 prior to his redshirt freshman season. It’s a young cornerback room that will replace two NFL Draft picks from last year’s roster.Familiar RootsWith the addition of Karnley this offseason, Jedd Fisch and company regained yet another former Arizona Wildcat from Fisch’s time in Tucson. Karnley originally enrolled at Arizona in the class of 2023 to play for Fisch. Richardson assisted in Karnley’s recruitment after joining Fisch’s staff prior to the 2023 season. When asked what stood out about Karnley back then, Richardson noted several traits. “Athletic, can really transition, maturity level. He’s grown up a ton since then as well,” Richardson detailed. “But he’s the type of kid that’s gonna scrap to the end, and he doesn’t mind being uncomfortable. He’s okay with being uncomfortable. So you can put him in situations that’re not always the best for him, but he’ll come out and he’ll thrive.”Karnley redshirted the 2023 season at Arizona, only appearing in one game. He stayed put in Tucson in 2024 despite the coaching change. He lined up opposite another soon-to-be Husky in Tacario Davis that season in the secondary. Karnley started six of 10 games played with five pass breakups on the year before entering the transfer portal.The 6’-0” 188-pound cornerback ended up at Miami, where he spent the 2025 spring practice season. But he ultimately transferred again in the spring up to Virginia, where he played out the 2025 season. Karnley’s Presence at WashingtonKarnley joined a cornerback room at Washington this offseason with exceptional talent. But the experience is limited, even with the quality reps Robinson and Clark put on tape last season. Over the month of April, in addition to the impressive pass breakup total, Karnley also notched an interception on defense despite being limited for a handful of practices in the middle of the month. “We’re challenging him to continue to believe in the vision that we have from when we were back at the other school,” Richardson said. “And he trusted us in being a pro here. So it’s time to run with it.”Main Image: Nick Lemkau